Degasser



M. CORNELL DEGASSER March 19, 1957 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. MEAD CORNELL ATTORNEY lltlu r March 19, 1957 M. CORNELLDEGASSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 INVENTOR. MEAD 6'0R/VELL MW@TTOR/JEY DEGASSER Mead Cornell, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to TheCornell Machine Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of OhioApplication August 3, 1953, Serial No. 372,129

8 Claims. (Cl. 1832.5)

The invention, in general, relates to an improved apparatus for treatingor for mixing materials, including fractionation of certain materials,and more particularly relates to further improvements in equipment ofthe character illustrated, described and claimed in my previous LettersPatent Nos. 2,042,880; 2,203,673; and 2,273,835, issued June 2, 1936,June 11, 1940 and February 24, 1942, respectively.

The equipment and attendant processes of my aforesaid prior patentsembraces the impounding of a material, or of materials to be treated ormixed, centrally of a rotating member by which the material or mix iscentrifugally attenuated as a continuous, relatively thin film over thesurface of such member thereby affording an intimate and thorough mixingand treating of the work material. Such materials as rubber dispersions,oil-inwater or water-in-oil emulsions, oils and greases, and detergentsall have been successfully mechanically treated with such equipment andthe practice of the indicated processes with resulting desirable andimproved end products having no deleterious features such asdiscoloration or oxidation tendencies. Such prior equipment alsoincluded means for effecting the treatment or mixing of the workmaterials in a partial vacuum.

While all of the apparatuses and processes of the above mentionedpatents have been highly efiective in their respective applications toindustry, my constant study of the many problems arising in variousdifferent industries has resulted in further improving the equipment andin utilizing the improved equipment for carrying on unique and improvedtreating methods, and the present invention is directed to the solutionof such problems and the application of the improved equipment to suchunique and improved material treating methods.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide improved apparatusis characterized by a positive direct drive of a rotating member forefiecting centrifugal attenuation of the work material as well assubstantially simultaneous separation and removal of the gaseous phaseof the work material.

A still further object is to provide improved apparatus of the indicatednature which is further characterized by the provision of means forfacilitating access to and the cleaning of working parts thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedequipment for effecting the fractionation of a liquid substance underpartial vacuum.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageousfeatures thereof, will appear from the following description of apreferred embodiment of the invention in said apparatus, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that I amnot to be limited to the precise embodiment illustrated, nor to theprecise arrangement of the various parts thereof, as my invention, asdefined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality andVariety of forms and can be carried out in a plurality and variety ofways.

nited States Patent 2,785,765 Patented Mar. 19, 1957 Referring to thedrawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view, partially in elevation, of one formof the apparatus embodying my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view of the apparatusshown in Fig. l but with certain parts lowered from normal operativeposition.

Fig. 3 is a view of the equipment of Fig. 1, taken on the irregularsection line 33 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a view of the embodiment taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is another view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, this view beingtaken from below and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows5-5 in Fig. 1.

In its preferred form, the degasser of my present improvement preferablycomprises means for impounding a gas-containing material centrally of arapidly rotating member, means for guiding the material onto said memberfor attenuated film projection, together with means for exhausting gasesfrom the material during film projection attenuation on said member,means for collecting the material after gas exhaustion and fordischarging the same away from the work treating area, a rotatable diskmovably mounted contiguous to said rotatable member for flinging droppedmaterial back onto said rotatable member, and a perforated sheetpermitting escape of gases exhausted from said projected film of thematerial.

One exemplification of a preferred mode of practicing my inventionpreferably comprises introducing a gascontaining material onto a rapidlyrotating member to effect attenuated film projection thereof andsimultaneously extracting gases therefrom, and concurrently removing thegas-extracted material and the extracted gases in difierent conduits.Another exemplification of a preferred mode of practicing my inventionpreferably comprises introducing a heated fractionatable material onto arapidly rotating member to effect attenuated film projection thereof andsimultaneously fractionating the material while in attenuated filmprojection by subjecting the same to reduced pressure, and concurrentlyremoving separated fractions of the material in separate conduits.

As illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, the degassercomprising my present invention includes a housing 11 provided with anintegral curved bottom 12, a removable cover plate or top 13, and aclosure 14 at one side thereof. Supported on the cover plate 13 is apower unit, preferably an electric motor 16, the shaft 17 of whichpasses through an opening in cover plate 13 and extends within housing11 centrally thereof. Any suitable gasket, such as a Victorprene seal18, is disposed at the juncture of shaft 17 with housing top 13 to sealthis joint against air leakage.

In accordance with the present invention, a rotatable member 21 ismounted within housing 11 in positive direct driving connection with themotor 16. While any suitable coupling can be employed, I preferablyutilize a connection assembly comprising a bushing 22 having a taperedbore in which is removably received a tapered sleeve 23, the sleevebeing provided with a key, not shown, for fitting into a keyway, alsonot shown, in the motor shaft 1-7. A connection assembly of this type iscommercially available under the trademark TapenLock, a product of DodgeManufacturing Corporation, of Mishawaka, Indiana. Suitable threadedrecesses are provided in the bushing and sleeve for receivingscrew-bolts whereby the assembly can be tightened in operative positionor released therefrom. The bushing 22 is welded directly to an annularflange 24 formed on rotatable member 21.

The construction ofrotatable member 21 is such as to is a smooth anduninterrupted surface; such surface being curved inwardly adjacent tothe bottom edge of the mem-' her, and the bottom edge flattened, as at27, for a purpose hereinafter specified. The curvature of the member 21adjacent its bottom edge defines an inner annular pocket 28 in which thework material collects and from which the treated material is removed asdescribed below.

My improved degasser also includes meansfor delivering and impounding agas-containing material, suchqas any material containing air or thelike, centrally of t e rotatable member 21. These means comprise amaterial delivery pipe 31, controlled by a suitable valve, not shown,which is rigidly secured by a bracket 32 and fastening means, see Fig.3, tothe exterior of the housing 11 and which projects into the hous ng.The inner end of the section of delivery pipe 31 within housing 11 isprovided with a port or outlet 33, and such sect orrot pipe is disposedwithin a tube 34 so that communication isestablished between the pipe 31throughport 33 thereof and the tube 34. In accordance with the presentinvention, I provide a pivotal connection between tube 34 and deliverypipe 31 in order that the tube 34 and parts connected thereto may bepivoted from their operat ve positions to the bottom of the housing 11to permit ready access to the rotatable member 21 and other parts forcleansing operations. To this end, a bifurcated clamp 36 is mountedabout the end of tube 34 adjacent its uncture with delivery pipe 31, theclamp being tightened by means of bolts 3? to provide the pivotalconnection as indicated by the showing ofFigs. land 3 with the port 33of delivery pipe 31 communicating with or open to the interior.

of tube 34-.

As particularly shown in Flg. 1, tube 34 consists of 3 2 in a relativelythin film outwardly to the annular pocket28.

The improved degasser of the present invention also includes a scoop 56of curved contour having an orifice 0r inlet 57 disposed at the pocket28 .of the rotatable member 21 and faced infa direction to receive thetreated material. The scoop 56 is a hollowtube and communicates with anenlarged tube 58 which, in turn, communicates with enlarged dischargeconduit 42 through its inlet 4-3. 56 and enlarged tube 58 can beformed'as an integral unit and welded or otherwise securely fastened tothe vertical section 41 of tube 34 to present the orifice or inlet 57 ofthe scoop in operative position.

In order to prevent accumulation of work material on the bottom 12 ofthe housing, a slinger ring 61 of thin sheet non-corrosive metalisrotatably mounted by means of bearings 62 on the enlarged conduit 42adjacent to the lower edge of the rotatable member, such slinger ringbeing fastened by means of bolts 63 to a disk '64, preferably fabricatedof a composition of phenolic resin and Fiberglas for withstanding hightemperatures and being chemically resistant to acids and alkalies. Theupper surface of disk 64 adjacent its perimeter engagesthe flattenedsection of the lower edge of the rotatable member 21. By frictionalcontact between member 21 and disk 64, the latter .is rapidly rotatedwith the rotatable member and since the slinger ring 61 is bolted todisk 64, the slinger ring 61 will correspondingly rotate. As a result,material deflected by scoop 56 and falling onto the upper surface of theslinger ring will be flung by .centrifugal action back into the annularpocket 28 of the rotatable member 21. Yery little material, of course,will drop from time to time onto the slinger ring but if it were notpresent in the combination, the dropped material would accumulate on thebottom of the housing 11' causing section 33 leading to the approximatecenter of the housing 11, an elbow 39, and a straight vertical section 2which terminates adjacent to the upper central portion of the innerperipheral surface 26 of rotatable member 21. Surrounding the verticalsection 41 of tube 34 is an enlarged conduit 42 having an inlet 43' atone side thereof and an outlet 44 adjacent the bottom thereof, suchconduit 42 serving to efiect the discharge of the work material, aftertreatment, through its outlet 44 into a takeofi pipe 46, see Fig. 3,exending across the housing 11 and to the exterior thereof through astutfing-box 47. To guide the delivered material, which willcontinuously be impounded centrally of rotatable member 21, onto theinner surface 26 of rapidly rotating member 21, I

preferably utilize an element 48 which aptly may be termed a butteringring. The battering ring 48 is a cuplike element having a sleeve 49thereon for mounting the same in operative position on the upper end ofthe vertical'section 41 of the tube 34. The sleeve 49 of ring isaifordsa slip-fit connection with tube section 41 and the butteiing ring isthus freely mounted for rotation. l also provide a coil spring 51 forurging the buttering ring 48 axially along the vertical section 41 ofthe tube 34 toward the rotatable member 21; the spring 51 being seatedupon the top of enlarged'conduit 42 and engaging the underside of thebuttering ring; As materialis delivered, the buttering ring 48 isinitially in close proximity to the rotatable member and the ringguidesthe material on a smooth angle outwardly to the inner periphery 26of the member and spreads the material in the same manner as thespreading of butter or the like. Due to the rapid rotation of member 21,the material frictionally engages the buttering ring at its rim to causethe ring to rotate and at the same time the ring moves undue labor forcleansing operations.

It is to be observed that the slinger ring '61 and the disk 64 arearranged in spaced relationship and it is also to be observed that Iprovide a plurality of openings 66 in disk 64. This arrangement andconstruction is to atford the gases extracted from the work material toescape from underneath the rotatable member 21 into the space definingthe housing 11 from which space it is con t nuously evacuated. To thisend, I provide a conventional vacuum pump '71, see Fig. 1, which drawsair or other gas from within the housing 11 through a conduit 72 whichcommunicates with the interior of the housing through an opening 73 inthe cover plate 13. Thus, the work material can be treated in a partialvacuum, and l preferably arrange for a negative pressure of the order of28 to 29 inches of mercury. A suitable vacuum gauge 74 is mounted on thecover plate 13 and placed in communication with the housing interior toafford visible indication at all times of the vacuum condition. 7

A second material delivery pipe 76 is provided in my 7 improvedequipment leading into housing 11 from the opposite side thereof to theconnection of pipe 31, and

15 secured to the housing in the same manner as materialv normallyimmiscible liquids can be deliveredthrough the separate pipes 31 and 76and impounded together centrally of the rapidly rotating member 21. Theaction of rotatable member'Zl effects attenuation of the combinedmaterials and a thorough intimate mixing thereof to render the samesubstantially miscible. This treatmerit of two different liquids can becarried on at normal temperatures and pressures, or can be carried outwith the space defined by housing 11 under partial vacuum,

As shown in Figs. land 4, the-conduit'42, scoop using the vacuum pump71, to effect withdrawal of air or other gas entrained in the liquids.

In accordance with my present invention, a single liquid capable offractionation, such as a liquid fuel including petroleum or sea waterfrom which potable water may be extracted in vapor phase for subsequentcondensation, can be preheated and delivered to the housing througheither pipe 31 or pipe 76 to be impounded centrally of the rotatablemember 21 which is started and rotated rapidly in all cases prior to theimpounding of any material centrally thereof. Simultaneously with thepumping of the heated material into the housing 11, the vacuum pump 71is started and the pressure within the space defined by the housing 11is materially reduced. The component of the heated delivered materialwhich boils and vaporizes at reduced pressures of the order of 28 to 29inches of mercury will be withdrawn in vapor phase from the attenuatedmaterial as it is projected along the inner periphery 26 of therotatable member 21, and will pass through the openings 66 of the sheetor disk 64 and be drawn through conduit 72 by the vacuum pump fordelivery to a suitable condenser for recovery as a liquid. The othercomponents of the material will be picked up from the annular pocket 28of the rotatable member 21 by scoop 56 and delivered through enlargedconduit 42 to the take-off or discharge pipe 46 for storage or transferto other points. Fractionation of materials can readily and economicallybe thus effected in my improved degasser and improved process oftreating materials.

The closure 14, see Figs. 1 and 3 can be hinged to a wall of housing 11,as at 81, and can be held in closed position by any suitable latchingmeans, such as a C-clamp 82 regulated by screw 83. Not only the jointbetween the housing 11 and closure 14 but all other joints, such asbetween the housing 11 and cover plate 13, are sealed to render thehousing air-tight, and preferably by means of D-tubing 84 of rubberwhich is fitted into suitable channels formed in the housing walls forreceiving the tubing.

Due to the properties of the materials treated, and they are sometimesquite viscous and gummy, certain of the parts of the equipment becomegummy and otherwise deleteriously affected. To effect speedy cleansingaction, without undue labor and other expense, the improved degasser notonly affords delivery of a cleansing solution whenever desired, but alsoaffords ready access to soiled parts through closure 14. In order topermit the pivoting of the tube 34 and connecteclunits and loweringthereof to the bottom of the housing 11, that portion of the dischargepipe 46 extending from the outlet 44 of conduit 42 to the outside of thehousing is conveniently made up in sections. As shown in Fig. 3, Iprovide an inner end short pipe section 91, which is welded to theconduit 42, and a relatively long section 92. Suitable unions 93 and 94connect long section 92 at one end to short pipe section 91 and at theother end to the discharge pipe 46 adjacent to the wall of the housing.By such sectional construction of the discharge pipe 46 within thehousing 11, it is only necessary, when desiring to bring the tube 34 andconnected units to the bottom of the housing for gaining access throughclosure 14 to parts for cleaning operations, to remove long pipe section92 by applying a spanner or other suitable wrench to the unions 93 and94 to disconnect section 92 from the remaining pipe sections, thusaffording sufi'icient space to swing the tube 34 and connected partsdownwardly.

To insure alignment of units and proper, as well as efiective,positioning of the scoop S6 at the annulus 28 of the rotating memberduring operations to efiect the picking up of treated material at theannulus, I provide a support member consisting of a yoke, the legs 96 ofwhich are pivoted by means of bolts 97 to brackets 98 secured inside andat opposite sides of housing 11, see

Fig. 1 of the drawings. Only one leg, one bolt and one bracket of thispivoted support member are shown, it being understood that the yoke issymmetrical. At the top of the yoke, I provide a cradle 99 whichpreferably is integral With the yoke or which can be a separate parteither welded or detachably secured in position on top of the yoke. Atone side of the cradle 99, I provide a detent 100 against which theelbow 39 of the tube 34 abuts to prevent displacement of the parts. Uponswinging of the tube 34 on its pivot 36 and delivery pipe 31 to bringthe vertical section 41 of the tube into axial alignment with the axisof the rotatable member 21, the yoke is raised to bring the cradle 99thereof just under the elbow 39 of tube 34. The yoke will support thetube 34 and its connected parts under operating conditions, and detent100 of the yoke serves to prevent movement of these parts laterally orout of axial alignment. Preferably, the brackets 98 of the yoke aredisposed just off center of the transverse center of the bottom 12 ofthe housing to the end that the action of the detent 100 is effective.When it is desired to lower the tube 34 and its connected parts, theyoke is pivoted on its pivot bolts 97 and laid along the bottom of thehousing, as indicated by the dotted line showings of Fig. l, and in thispivoting of the yoke, the detent 100 will slide under the elbow 39readily since the tube 34 of which the elbow is a part is pivetallymounted, as above described, and the elbow will rise sufficiently toslip the cradle and detent past the same.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded arange of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made overthe prior art.

I claim:

1. A-degasser comprising an air-tight housing, a member rotatablymounted within said housing; said member having an uninterrupted, innerperipheral surface, means for impounding a gas-containing materialcentrally of said member adjacent to said peripheral surface, abuttering ring axially movable and rotatably supported adjacent to saidperipheral surface for guiding and spreading said impounded materialonto said peripheral surface, means for rapidly rotating said member toeffect attenuation of said material in a projected film radiallyoutwardly along said surface, an annulus defined by said member forreceiving the projected film, a slinger ring rotatably supported belowsaid member for receiving deflected material and for flinging thematerial back into said annulus, a perforated sheet secured to saidslinger ring in spaced relation thereto, means for extracting gas fromsaid material as it is projected in an attenuated film on said surface;said means for effecting a partial vacuum in said housing and thewithdrawal of extracted gas through the perforations of said sheet andfrom said housing, and means for collecting the attenuated projectedfilm from which gas has been extracted and for discharging the same fromsaid housing.

2. A degasser comprising an air-tight housing, a member rotatablymounted within said housing; said member having an inner arcuateperiphery and having an open bottom bounded by a flattened edge, meansfor impounding a gas-containing material centrally of said memberadjacent to said inner periphery, means for guiding and spreading theimpounded material onto said peripheral surface, means for rapidlyrotating said member to effect attenuation of said material in aprojected film radially outwardly along said periphery, an annulusdefined by said member for receiving the projected film, a perforatedsheet rotatably supported adjacent to and engaging said flattened edgeof said member; said sheet being adapted to be rotated by said member, aslinger ring connected to said perforated sheet and arranged above andin spaced relation to said sheet; said slinger ring being adapted toreceive deflected material and to fling the material by centrifugalaction back into said annulus, and means for extracting gas from saidprojected film of material and withdrawing the same from said housingthrough the perforations of said sheet. I

3. A degasser comprising an air-tight housing, a mem ber 'rotatablymounted Within said housing; said member being generally "dome-shape,opening at the bottom thereof and having an uninterrupted, smooth innerperipheral surface, means 'for impounding a gas-containing materialcentrally of said member adjacent to said inner peripheral surface;saidmea'ns comprising a material delivery pipe projecting into saidhousing, a tube pivotally connected to said pipe and communicatingtherewith, a tube section on said tube arranged in axial alignment withthe axis of said member, and means for securing said tube to said pipe'to maintain said tube section in axial alignment with the axis of saidmember, and means directly connected to said member for rapidly rotatingsaid member to effect projection of said material radially outwardlyalong said inner periphery in the form of an attenuated film, and meansfor extracting the gas from said material during its attenuation on saidmember and for removing the gas from said housing.

4. A degasser comprising an air-tight housing, a member'rotatably'mounted within said housing about a vertical axis; saidmember having a smooth arcuate inner periphery and having an opening inthe bottom thereof bounded by afiattened edge, a material delivery pipeprojecting into said housing, a tube pivotally connected to said pipeand communicating with said pipe, a tube 7 section maintained in axialalignment with the axis of said member; said pipe and tube and tubesection serving .to impound a gas-containing material centrally ofsaidmember adjacent said inner periphery, a buttering ring mounted on saidtube section for axial and rotatable movement with its rim supported in'close proximity to 7 tion and engaging said flattened edge or saidmember for I rotation thereby, a'slinger ring rotatably mounted on saidtube sectionin spaced relation above and connected to said sheet; saidslinger ring being adapted to be rotated with the rotation of said sheetand to fling -deflectedm'aterial back into said annulus bycentrifugal'action, means for loosening the pivotal connection betweensaid ma-' terial delivery pipe and 's'aidtube whereby'said tube, tubesection, buttering ring, slinger ring and sheet may all t be loweredfrom operative positions to the bottom of said housing to enable partsreadily to :be cleaned, a

closure hingedly secured to one side of said'housing for gaining accesstothe interior thereof, and means for extracting gas from thegas-containing material while in projected film condition on the innerperiphery of said and from which gas has been extracted, and means fordischarging the collected degassed material from said housing.

6. In a degasser of the character described, the cornbi'na't'i'on withina housing of a material delivery pipe section, a tube pivotallyconnected to'the inner end of said,

pipe section and communicating therewith, and a tube section on saidtube supported'centrally of the housing, rotatable units mounted on saidtube section, and a means for permitting the pivoting of said tube andsaid Z tube section carrying said rotatable units to lower the same tothe bottom of the housing. 7 a

7. A degasser comprising an air-tight housing, a sub stantiallycompletely closed rotating casing within said housing, means for feedingmaterial to said casing as a film for centrifugal attenuation, collectormeans for dis placing and removing the attenuated film material, avacuum connection to said housing, a bottom portion of the casing havingports therein for evacuation ofgas and vapor from the casing, and arotating slinger member a spaced inwardly of such bottom portion, saidslinger member thus partially obscuring the ports. and serving todefiectm'aterial falling thereon. a a

8. in a degasser of the character described, -a rotating casing havingan annular material working surface and an opening in the wallthereofbenea'th such surface, means for feeding material onto saidsurface-as a film for.

centrifugal attenuation, means for collecting and dis charging "theattenuated film material, a closure for such opening "of the casingincluding inner and outer rotating f members spaced slightly apart on acommon axis of rotation, the outer member having a plurality of portstherein within the projected area ofthe inner member 7 for gas and vaporpassage from the casing, and means mounting said members for swingingmovement as a unit away from a normal position closing the casing,thereby to provide access to the casing interior.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTSBorden Apr. 24, 19 2s a

